


If April Showers Bring May Flowers, What Do May Showers Bring?

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-14
Updated: 2006-03-14
Packaged: 2018-08-16 05:50:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8089957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Catchy songs, garden tours, and Tripping through the flower beds. (05/14/2004)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

"When April Showers, they come your way, they bring the flowers, that bloom in May...damn it!" Trip muttered as he endured the tour of yet another flower garden, "I just can't get that darn song out of my head."

Trip felt like he'd been touring flower gardens forever. After four solid days of garden tours, flower shows, and plant-related lectures, he finally approached the Captain about it this morning. "I know, Captain, I KNOW that plants are very important to this species, and their gardens are a real important part of their culture, but Captain, do I really have to see yet another one?"

"Absolutely, Trip. This is a very important mission. It's our first contact with the Gardenians, and we don't want to offend our hosts by refusing to participate in what we know is a significant part of their culture," the Captain had replied. "And I'll be wrapped up in meetings with the Gardenian council all day. You're doing me a real favor by acting as my representative."

Trip sighed. He knew he was stuck. "Fine," he replied. "Can I at least take someone else with me? I think I need a fresh perspective."

"Sure," said the Captain, grinning. He paused a moment, thinking. "How about Hoshi? I think her work with the Gardenian University's linguistics department ended last evening. I'm sure she could use a nice walk around some gardens."

* * *

"And this particular plant is the Portulacao Leracea, a succulent annual with reddish stems and dark-green leaves. It grows low to the ground and is well known to most Gardenians as..." their Gardenian guide intoned, almost singing in his excitement to describe this latest specimen. Hoshi was standing next to the guide, staring at the plant and occasionally chiming in with a comment or question. "I wish I could be as enthusiastic", Trip thought as he tried his best to focus on the plant, the guide, anything at all to appear interested. The guide and Hoshi started walking again, and Trip followed along behind, looking around at the flowers and thinking fondly of the flowers back in his parents' yard, walks he'd taken with old girlfriends, and his warp engines.

"When April Showers, they come your way...hmmm, la da da..." Trip was half singing, half humming under his breath as he strolled along behind the guide and Hoshi, who were enthusing about the derivation of the name of one of the Gardenian plants. Suddenly, Trip was face- down on the path, one of his feet crushing part of a nearby flowering bush.

"Trip, are you ok?" Hoshi asked from above him. Trip craned his neck to look up at her from his prone position. Hoshi's head was halo'd by the sun, and Trip was barely able to make out her features. "Yeah," he said, as he carefully picked himself up from the path, brushing pebbles and dirt off his hands and knees. "More embarrassed than anything." Turning towards their Gardenian guide, Trip said, "I apologize - when I fell, I think I crushed one of your plants."

"Romesco," their guide said flatly.

"Ah, yes," responded Trip. "Your Romesco plant. I'm sorry. I sure hope the damage isn't permanent." "Hrumph," their guide snorted as he stalked off into a nearby outbuilding.

"I think you've offended him," said Hoshi, smiling at Trip as he continued to inspect the damage to the plant.

"Yeah, well..." Trip wasn't able to say any more, as his voice was drowned out by a loud alarm that seemed to come from all directions.

"What's that?" Hoshi mouthed to Trip. Trip was about to reply when he saw that a Gardenian woman that he did not know was fast approaching him up the garden path. As she got closer, Trip saw that she was a member of the local security force. "You have GOT to be kidding me," thought Trip as the guard got closer and pulled out what looked like an electronic pad of some sort. "Hoshi," Trip shouted, "I think I'm in trouble for crushing that..." The alarms stopped shrilling just as the guard reached them.

"License and registration, please," the guard requested coldly.

"Ah, I'm not from Gardenia - I'm from the Enterprise, and..."

The guard cut Trip off, mid-sentence. "Do you have any identification on you?"

Hoshi looked on worriedly as Trip tried to explain that he did not, that no one in Starfleet carried an identification card. "What have I done?" Trip asked frantically as the guard returned the pad to her belt and took out what looked like a weapon, which she aimed at Trip. He froze.

The guard started pressing buttons on the device, and lights flashed up and down Trip's body. Trip found himself stuck in place - he couldn't even move his eyelids. Just as he started to panic, the lights stopped, and he could blink again. A piece of paper came out of one end of the device, and the guard ripped it off with one hand.

The guard glanced at Trip. "You're free to go," she said briskly. Handing him the slip of paper, she said, "Read this. You have 20 days to pay the fine or contest the ticket. There's an address on the back." As she turned and walked away down the garden path, Hoshi heard her mutter under her breath, "bloody plant crusher."

"What did she say?" Trip asked.

"Ah, nothing important," Hoshi replied quickly.


End file.
